Aeromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 3)

Kat stopped slicing carrots. She studied the pretty, delicate woman. “Someone tried to kill you?”

“Because of what I am,” Clelia said as she turned on the gas.

“A firestarter?”

“Yes. According to the others, the hunting never stops.”

Kat tried to put herself in Clelia’s shoes. “It must be so difficult, always having to look over your shoulder.” Was that how it was for Lann? Was he too constantly hunted?

Clelia shrugged. “It’s easier for me since I’ve joined Cain’s team. I prefer fighting than hiding and waiting for attacks.” Her eyes shone. “Plus, I’ve got Joss to protect me now.”

Kat sat down in the chair by the table. “Who’s all part of the team?”

Clelia dropped a dollop of butter in the pan. “Joss, Lann, Maya, Cain, and I.”

“Who’s Maya?”

“Our hydromancist.”

“So you all have special gifts?”

“Yes. We couldn’t fight paranormal crime without them.” Clelia removed fish fillets from the fridge and rinsed them under cold water. She arranged them onto paper towels and patted them dry. “I’m sorry you had to learn about our organization like that.”

“I didn’t mean to pry. I wanted to help with the lunch, but when I couldn’t find you, I decided to see if you were outside. I heard the voices coming from the study. The door was open.”

The aroma of fried butter filled the kitchen. Clelia placed a couple of fillets in the pan. “It must’ve come as a shock. I know it was a shock for me when Joss first told me what he did for a living.”

Kat studied her hands. “I wish Lann had told me.”

“Oh, Kat, Lann is so protective of you. That’s why he didn’t tell you.”

Kat looked up again to find Clelia’s sympathetic gaze on her. “He’s been excluding me from everything in his life since the start. He made it clear that what we had was never supposed to be permanent.”

“He’s sweet with you, isn’t he?” Clelia asked imploringly. She took the bowl of chopped vegetables and scraped it into another pan, drizzling it with olive oil.

“Does he have a choice?” Kat asked. “It’s because of the circumstances.” Tripod came to her side. She patted him absentmindedly. “I tried to talk to him about the decisions we have to make, but he’s not ready to face them yet.”

“Are you?”

Kat tried to smile. “I have to be.”

“You have to believe that Eve will find a cure.”

“You heard Eve. I don’t want to harbor false hope. I’d rather be realistic. That’s the best I can do right now.”

“How about we go shopping for the baby this afternoon? That’ll cheer you up.”

Kat lifted her head at that. Preparing for her baby had crossed her mind. “Do you think Lann and Joss will let us go?”

Clelia winked. “I’m a firestarter. What better protection can you have?”

“What was that about protection?” Joss asked, stalking into the kitchen.

He walked to his wife with deliberate steps, and trapped her in his arms from behind. He lowered his lips to her ear. “Did I hear something about you wanting to take a risk?”

Laughing, Clelia leaned against him. “Kat and I were just making plans to go to Vannes this afternoon for baby shopping.”

“No,” he said.

Clelia turned in his arms to face him. “We’ll be safe.”

“Not with Cain wanting to pull David out. I won’t risk it.”

“We need to,” Clelia said with meaning.

Joss looked at her for some time, and then his resolve seemed to falter. “Fine, but wait until Maya gets here. She’ll go with you.”

“Maya’s coming?”

“I just heard. That’s what I was coming to tell you. Cain’s bringing her in. She’ll arrive tomorrow.”

“Do you honestly think Maya can protect us better than me? What’s she going to do? Throw some water from the town fountain at any potential abductors?”

Joss smiled at that. “She’s good with guns. Until your training is done, you’ll take Maya as bodyguard.”

Kat’s stomach tightened at the mention of guns. “You fight with real weapons?”

Joss stared at her in surprise.

“I mean, you don’t just throw fire and lightning and water around?”

“We fight with real bullets when we have to,” he said.

“Lann too?” Kat asked carefully.

“Lann’s a trained soldier, Kat.”

“Joss.” Clelia laid a hand on his arm. “I think you should let Lann explain that to Kat.”

“Of course,” he said. “What’s for lunch? I’m starving.”

Clelia laughed. “Erwan’s catch of the day.” She turned to Kat. “Erwan is my grandfather. He lives in a village nearby. You’ll meet him soon. He often comes for dinner.”

“Does he know about your art?” Kat asked.

“He raised me,” Clelia said. “He’s known from the beginning.”

How was she was going to break the news to her family? Exactly how much she was going to tell them?

The rain cleared in the afternoon. Lann had set up an office in another room on the first floor, and he was working on something he didn’t share with Kat. She went looking for him to tell him about her plan to go shopping with Clelia and Maya, but he seemed deeply involved in his task, and she didn’t want to disturb him. She watched him work on a 3D data screen for a while, his brow furrowed in concentration, and then she quietly left again.